Jennifer Ward-Lealand

Jennifer Cecily Ward-Lealand CNZM (born 8 November 1962) is a New Zealand actor, director and intimacy coordinator whose screen credits include the 1993 movie Desperate Remedies as well as appearances in The Footstep Man, the soap Shortland Street and Australian comedy series Full Frontal.

Jennifer Ward-Lealand

CNZM
Ward-Lealand in 2019
Born
Jennifer Cecily Ward-Lealand

(1962-11-08) 8 November 1962
Wellington, New Zealand
OccupationActress
Years active1978–present
Spouse(s)Michael Hurst (1988–present)
Children2
Websitejenniferwardlealand.com

Biography

Ward-Lealand was born in Wellington, New Zealand to Philippa "Pippa" Mary (née Ward) and Conrad Ainsley Lealand. She has an older sister, Diana Mary Ward-Pickering and a half brother Simcha Lindt.

She is married to actor Michael Hurst of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys fame. They have two sons, born in 1997, and 1999.[1]

Her first ongoing television role was as Jan in Close to Home (1978–1980).[1] After leaving school she spent a year touring New Zealand in a community theatre group, performing clown shows and Chekhov.

In 1982 Ward-Lealand completed a year-long diploma in acting from Auckland's then influential Theatre Corporate. In between the theatre work that followed, Ward-Lealand appeared in short-lived TV drama Seekers, before her breakthrough television role in "Danny and Raewyn", an episode from the About Face series. Filmed largely in an Auckland flat so cramped the cameraman sometimes had to sit on the stove, this tale of working class relationship breakdown would win Ward-Lealand a GOFTA Best Actress Award.

The same year Ward-Lealand made her big screen debut as nightclub singer Costello – and sang three songs – in Wellington crime thriller Dangerous Orphans.

From 1989 to 1990 she appeared with Harry Sinclair and Don McGlashan in theatre/musical group The Front Lawn, winning a number of awards and accolades, and acting in Front Lawn film Linda's Body. In 1993 she appeared in the first series of TV skit comedy show, Full Frontal.[2]

As an actress, singer and director of theatre, Ward-Lealand has a number of credits and accolades, and acted in New Zealand plays The Bach, Via Satellite, and The Sex Fiend. In 2007, she toured her acclaimed Marlene Dietrich cabaret show, Falling in Love Again (also the name of her first solo CD) in New Zealand and Australia. She later toured with the same show in 2018.[3][4]

Ward-Lealand is president of Equity New Zealand. In 2018, she started training as an intimacy coordinator, and in 2020 she was hired as such by Amazon's Lord of the Rings production.[5][6]

Jennifer Ward-Lealand is fluent in Maori, the language of New Zealand's indigenous Maori people. Ward-Lealand, who herself is not Maori, started learning the language after not being able to respond to a traditional mihi, or welcome speech.[7]

Ward-Lealand has also been an advocate for improving actors' working conditions and pay.[8]

Filmography
Film performances
Year Title Role Notes
1972 Gone Up North for a While Child
1985 Dangerous Orphans Teresa Costello
1990 Linda's Body Linda Short film
1992 The Footstep Man Mirielle
1993 Desperate Remedies Dorothea Brook
1994 A Game with No Rules Lauren Short film
1994 I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry Jane Short film
1997 The Ugly Evelyn Cartwright
1999 I'll Make You Happy Mel
2000 The Painted Lady Fay Short film
2004 Fracture Ulla Peet
2013 End of Daze Wanda
2018 Vermilion Darcy
Television performances
Year Title Role Notes
1978–79 Close to Home Jan 3 episodes
1986 Seekers Nardia Alterman Recurring role (16 episodes)
1990 The Billy T James Show Raewyn 1 episode
1991 For the Love of Mike Betty-Sue 1 episode
1993–94 Full Frontal Various characters Main cast (40 episodes)
1995 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Voluptua Episode: "All That Glitters"
1996–97 Letter to Blanchy Jane 3 episodes
1996–98 Shortland Street Isobel Kearney Recurring role (60 episodes)
1997 Xena: Warrior Princess Boadicea Episode: "The Deliverer"
1999 Xena: Warrior Princess Zehra Episode: "The Play's the Thing"
1999 Duggan Joanne Taylor 2 episodes
2001 Love Mussel Doctor Television film
2005 Interrogation Gail Mary Abbot Episode: "True Confessions"
2006 Elgar's Enigma: Biography of a Concerto Narrator Television documentary (voice role)
2009–13 Buzzy Bee and Friends Dorable Duck Voice role (65 episodes)
2009 The Jaquie Brown Diaries Louise Bouchet 2 episodes
2012–14 Auckland Daze Wanda Recurring role (14 episodes)
2013 Sunny Skies Penny 1 episode
2013 The Almighty Johnsons Karen 3 episodes
2015–17 Find Me a Maori Bride Narrator Voice role (15 episodes)
2015 Newsworthy Kalonike 1 episode
2016–17 Auckward Love Barbara 4 episodes
2016 Terry Teo Barbara Bertinelli Episode: "Baby Takes a Bullet"
2016 Dirty Laundry Donna Recurring role (13 episodes)
2018 The Ring Inz Astrid 2 episodes

Accolades

Ward-Lealand's contribution to New Zealand theatre was recognised in 2007 New Year Honours with her investiture as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to theatre and the community.[9]

In October 2018 she was presented with a Scroll of Honour from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand for her contribution to New Zealand entertainment.[10]

In the 2019 New Year Honours, Ward-Lealand was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to theatre, film and television[11] and for her advocacy for actors' working conditions and pay.[8]

Ward-Lealand won the New Zealander of the Year Award in 2020, being recognised for her dedication to performing arts and her commitment and passion for te reo Māori.[8]

References
  1. Knight, Kim (12 September 2016). "Jennifer Ward-Lealand is NZ's acting queen bee". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  2. Wallace, Mark (10 May 1993). "Fast Forward goes Full Frontal". Canberra Times. Retrieved 26 September 2018 – via Trove.
  3. Shand, John (7 August 2018). "Falling in Love Again review: Exquisite artefact bleeds life in second half". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  4. Tatman, Christian (24 July 2018). "Jennifer Ward-Lealand stars as golden era actress and singer Marlene Dietrich at Frankston Arts Centre". Herald Sun. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  5. https://www.westpac.co.nz/rednews/women/how-jennifer-ward-lealand-is-safeguarding-kiwi-actors-with-intimacy-coordination/
  6. https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2020/10/06/108573-sex-sensibility-amazons-nude-take-on-tolkien/
  7. "For more than eight years, Jennifer Ward-Lealand has been learning Te Reo Māori. As an adult learner, she has now become a fluent speaker". The AM Show. 15 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018 – via Facebook.
  8. "New Zealander of the Year Award winners announced". RNZ. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  9. Hawes, Rexine (24 April 2017). "Kiwi actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand ready to inject some drama into Matamata". Stuff. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  10. "VAC Scrolls of Honour". The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  11. "New Year honours list 2019". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  • Ward, R. G. (2000). Gentleman Charlie and the settlers: a study of transformation. Hutt City N.Z: Break Even Press. ISBN 0-473-06809-5.


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